Fifteen people were arrested tonight after fans clashed in Amsterdam’s city centre ahead of England’s friendly with Holland tonight.
Police spokesman Nabil Ou Aissa said there were no reports of serious injuries but that officers had clashed with various groups.
An AP photographer on the scene said police on horseback contained a group of England football supporters on Amsterdam’s central Dam square, adjacent to the red light district where fighting erupted.
Police were searching all supporters for weapons and they were photographed and filmed before being released. Several British police were also present on the square to assist.
Amsterdam authorities had been on high alert for possible violence by supporters ahead of the match.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the fighting was between Dutch and English supporters or Dutch clubs.
“We have information from the police that there’s a threat that Ajax supporters want to fight English fans,” said acting mayor Lodewijk van Asscher on local television station AT5. Ajax is Amsterdam’s football club.
“In addition, a hard core of other clubs in the Netherlands, Belgium and England are planning to come to Amsterdam to misbehave,” he said.
Shortly before the match was due to begin the city centre was quiet again, under a very heavy police presence. The red light district was sealed off by police barriers.
AP